3 Options for the Cleveland Browns to replace Baker Mayfield in 2022
By Greg Newland
Cleveland Browns Replacement Option No. 3 – Matt Ryan
I know a 36-year old quarterback like Matt Ryan isn’t the long-term solution for the Cleveland Browns, but a trade could make things very interesting for a year or two.
The toughest part of this move would be the salary. Matt Ryan would have to be willing to restructure his contract. He has a $48 million hit in 2022 and over $43 million in 2022. However, it feels like Ryan would be more than willing to work out a deal to have a chance to win.
The Atlanta Falcons may also be willing to take on Mayfield for one year. His $18.9 million hit in 2022 is a substantially better option than Ryan’s contract, and they may be interested to see if a fresh start and dome sitting is better for Mayfield.
The finances may be too much to overcome, but if both sides are truly motivated to find a solution, I think it could work.
Ryan has been a starter since his rookie year in 2008 and has had over 4,000 yards passing every season from 2011 on. His record as a starter is 117-98, and he has never been on a team with nearly as much talent as the Cleveland Browns. Ryan has always had a lot of nice weapons on offense, but never a defense with guys like Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward on the other side.
There’s no doubt that Ryan is certainly close to being on his way out but could be a two-year bridge guy to help give Berry some time to find the next guy. Remember, the free agent class of quarterbacks in 2022 is bad, and the draft class is also fairly weak.